RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

The Sleep Course: An Online Sleep Intervention for Adults With Self-reported Sleep Difficulties

This study is checking out an online course called 'The Sleep Course' designed for adults in Saskatchewan who have trouble sleeping. The course uses a type of talking therapy called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) delivered over the internet. Researchers want to see how well it helps people with insomnia (trouble falling or staying asleep, or waking too early), especially if it makes them feel distressed or impacts their daily life. They are also looking at if the course helps with depression and anxiety, which often go hand-in-hand with sleep issues. The main goal is to see if this online course works as well in Canada as it did in Australia, and how many people start and finish it.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

University of Regina

Enrolment target

Start

10 Dec 2024

Estimated completion

01 Jun 2026

Insomnia Depression Anxiety

What is this study about?

This study is all about helping people in Saskatchewan who struggle with sleep problems like insomnia. Insomnia means you might have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or you wake up too early and can't get back to sleep. These sleep difficulties can make you feel tired and distressed during the day and make it hard to do your usual activities. Many people also find that their sleep problems are linked with feelings of depression or anxiety.

To help more people get the treatment they need, doctors have developed 'Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy' (ICBT). This is like the talking therapy you might have with a therapist, but it's delivered online through structured lessons you can do at home. This particular online course is called 'The Sleep Course'. It teaches you skills to improve your sleep habits and change unhelpful thoughts about sleep. Sometimes, there's even a therapist who can offer a bit of support through messages or phone calls while you're doing the course.

Learning how to manage your sleep better can really improve your overall well-being, including your mood and how you live your daily life. This study is important because although we know this type of online therapy can help with sleep, depression, and anxiety, we need to see how well it works when offered to lots of people in a regular online clinic, without too many strict rules about who can join. The aim is to make effective help for sleep problems more available to everyone who needs it.

Key takeaways

This study evaluates an online sleep therapy called 'The Sleep Course'.
It's for adults in Saskatchewan who have trouble sleeping.
The therapy aims to improve sleep, depression, and anxiety levels.
It uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) delivered over the internet.
The goal is to provide more accessible help for sleep problems.

Who may be eligible?

To be part of this study, you need to be an adult, 18 years or older, and currently living in Saskatchewan.

You should be experiencing sleep difficulties, which means you might find it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep, or you wake up too early. These sleep problems should be bothering you during the day or affecting your daily life. You also need to be comfortable using a computer or device with internet access in a private spot, and be able to read and understand English. Finally, you would need to agree to take part in 'The Sleep Course', use the online therapy provided by the clinic, and be part of the research.

There are a few reasons why you might not be able to join. For example, if you have a serious medical or mental health condition that needs urgent or different treatment, such as a severe mental health crisis, or if you're undergoing major surgery soon. You also can't join if you're already receiving another treatment at the same clinic.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Do you live in Saskatchewan?
Do you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or wake up too early?
Do your sleep problems make you feel distressed or affect your daytime activities?
Are you comfortable using a computer or device with internet access privately?
Can you read and understand English?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you take part in this study, you would be enrolling in 'The Sleep Course', which is an online program. This course delivers its content through structured online lessons, typically over several months. You would access these lessons using a device with internet access. The study will look at how many people sign up for the course and how many complete it. While completing the course, your progress and experiences would be monitored to see how effective the online therapy is for your sleep difficulties, and any changes in depression or anxiety. The exact duration of your active involvement would depend on the length of the online course, which is usually over a few months. There are no in-person visits to a clinic for this specific intervention, as it is entirely online.

Potential risks and benefits

Participating in 'The Sleep Course' could potentially help you improve your sleep, reduce feelings of distress related to sleep problems, and possibly lessen symptoms of depression and anxiety. This is a well-established type of therapy for insomnia. As with any online program, there's always a small chance you might find the content challenging or that it might not be suitable for everyone. However, the study aims to offer a useful and accessible treatment. You are always free to decide to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your usual medical care.

Locations (1)

Online Therapy Unit
Verified postcode
Regina, Canada· Recruiting

Common questions

What is 'The Sleep Course'?

It's an online therapy program using CBT to help adults with sleep problems.

Who can take part in this study?

Adults aged 18 or over living in Saskatchewan, who have sleep difficulties affecting their daily life, and can use the internet.

What kind of sleep problems does it help with?

It helps with trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early.

Is this therapy delivered by a person?

It's an online course, but it may include some brief support from a therapist via messages or phone calls.

What happens if I decide I don't want to continue?

You are free to leave the study at any time without any reason, and it won't affect your regular care.

How to find out more

Marcie Nugent, MSW

marcie.nugent@uregina.ca 306-337-2946 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.